Press Release - March 2016

MEDIA RELEASE

RORY FAITHFIELD

2016 Album Launch: SOUTHERN CROSS NORTHERN SKIES

The whispers, hopes and memories of our young Anzacs reach out across time in FIRST TO FALL – contemporary folk artist Rory Faithfield’s bittersweet homage that features on his emotive fifth album SOUTHERN CROSS NORTHERN SKIES to be released May, 2016

Commissioned by the ANZAC Commemorative Committee of Albany, Western Australia, FIRST TO FALL captures the youthful bravado, loyalty and mateship of those who heeded the call to arms through the misty eyes of an old digger; remembering his youth and friends who never made it home. The song honours the brightness of life in the moments before it is lost and reflects a pensive, emotional maturity that threads its way through Faithfield’s latest body of work.

With Celtic song lines in his head and grains of sand between his toes – Rory Faithfield embodies the lyricism of his Irish heritage, the raw passion of his early Punk band days and the clear-eyed sensibilities of his life on the coast of Western Australia. In SOUTHERN CROSS NORTHERN SKIES, the consummate storyteller introduces “looping” into his performance, giving his carefully crafted folk narratives their old-time blues stomp edge. Dedicated to Rory’s late father Enn Truupold, the album is threaded with motifs of moving forward, trust and taking a chance in love and life.

Searching for and finding his wife’s wedding ring in the sands of WA was the unlikely inspiration for REBEL SONGS. The meditative rhythms of sweeping the beach with a metal detector gave Rory the space to reflect on how the world has moved on. Like many, Rory’s family history is entwined with Ireland’s tempestuous past, he reflects that the rally cries of “The Troubles” no longer hold sway.

Rory heeds the hypnotic power of the siren’s song in WINE, WINE – one of two compositions written for Margaret River’s Cullen Winery Wine Song Project – as the unrelenting caress of a glass of red attempts to fill the void of lost love.

CLOSER TO BLUE THAN GREEN explores the grace of surrendering to life’s losses (Blue) as a means to reclaim the innocence of youth (Green), whilst THE BLOODY HOOKLINE strikes a chord of irony as it parodies the bog standard chord structures that are rife mainstream music today.

Like all “old souls”, Faithfield sees both the profound and the whimsical. His fourth album “Songs for Sooner” was dedicated to his dog Sooner who was his teenage companion. This album finishes with the unconditional love of MY MY PRETTY DARLING in which Rory channels the unflinching devotion of Beaujo, his wife’s Ruby Red Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – a beautiful expression of love, trust and the wonder of taking the next steps together.

Press Release - Feb 2010

Media Release

“Sooner or later you'll find your way home”

Rory Faithfield - Songs for Sooner

Australian CD Release 19 February 2010

Australia’s acoustic powerhouse Rory Faithfield is coming home to launch his fourth album – Songs for Sooner. With Celtic songlines in his head and grains of sand between his toes, Rory has conjured an alluring songbook of life, love and consequence.

Applauded by the often unforgiving Irish music media, Australians will get the chance to experience our best kept secret when Rory performs at both the Nannup & Port Fairy Festivals as part of a 2010 local tour.

Dividing his time between Dublin Ireland and Vasse on the West Australian coast, Rory has honed his craft on the European pub circuit to create this authentic home-coming album. Big Blue Western Skies casts a wistful spell; capturing the hypnotic harsh beauty of our summers, while the single release Born in Sydney Town is a little piece of home for every erstwhile Australian traveller. Clonard beguiles as a Celtic ballad of the journey.

Much of Songs for Sooner was written in Australia, then recorded with a full band in Ireland featuring Nick Scott (Van Morrison) on bass and Johnny Boyle (The Frames) on drums. Rory has co-produced this fourth album with industry veteran Gavin Murphy.

Originally inspired by artists such as Christy Moore and Luka Bloom, Rory Faithfield owns the art of storytelling. We should be proud that he is one of ours. Rory will kick off his 2010 season at the Nannup Folk Festival in WA on 27 February, followed by the prestigious Port Fairy Folk Festival and a full national tour.

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Album Review

"Faithfield inhabits the same rich musical world as Christy Moore, Luka Bloom and Glen Hansard. His songs are wistful, romantic, deeply felt, beautifully crafted and sung with a voice that pours sincerity and emotion over every line and note. This is a sublime, heart-stoppingly beautiful album from a major new Australian folk talent." - Bruce Elder

Big Blue Western Skies - Live

Live at Bewley's Theatre Cafe in Dublin (using a loop station). 'Big Blue Western Skies' is from the 2010 album 'Songs For Sooner'.

Born In Sydney Town

'Born In Sydney Town' is from the 2010 Rory Faithfield album 'Songs For Sooner'.
Slide-show video featuring old archive images of the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Sydney City Centre.